PDO
1-12-06, 4:49 PM
ATLANTA ? The Predators tried sticking it to the NHL's leading goal-scorer last night.
But Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk escaped punishment thanks to a number of assists, according to Nashville Coach Barry Trotz and Predators players.
The strange situation began just past the midway point of the third period in the Predators' 4-3 shootout loss to Atlanta.
With the game tied 2-2 and the Thrashers set to go on the power play, Trotz tried to signal officials that he wanted to test Kovalchuk's stick ? believing Kovalchuk was using a blade with too large a curve.
But Trotz was unable to get the officials' attention prior to a faceoff, and the Thrashers wound up taking a 3-2 lead when Marc Savard scored a power-play goal with 7:58 left in regulation. Kovalchuk assisted on the goal.
The Predators were finally able to alert officials they wanted to measure Kovalchuk's stick at that point. But that's when Kovalchuk began to take evasive action, according to Trotz and Predators forward Steve Sullivan.
"He passed the stick to (teammate) Scott Mellanby, who passed it to one of the coaches, and he passed it to one of the trainers who took it down the runway,'' Trotz said. "He got away with it. He plays with (an illegal stick) all the time.''
Sullivan's account differed slightly.
"I saw Kovalchuk throw his stick to the trainer, and the trainer took it out,'' he said.
In any event, the Predators believe that by the time referee Don Koharski approached the Atlanta bench to pick up Kovalchuk's stick, the Thrashers had supplied their star forward with a new ? and legal ? stick.
In fact, when Trotz saw the stick Koharski was taking to be measured, he chose not even to go through with the procedure because it was not the same stick that he'd wanted examined.
"We said if the tape on the stick wasn't wet (which would have shown recent use), then we're not going to call it,'' Trotz said.
Kovalchuk, who'd earlier scored his NHL-best 33rd goal, denied having an illegal stick ? at least during that point of the game.
"They tried calling my stick, but I was using the legal one for the last 10 minutes,'' Kovalchuk said.
Added Atlanta Coach Bob Hartley: "We all know that Kovalchuk plays with legal sticks.''
Kovalchuk has been penalized three times in his career for using an illegal stick.
Had it been discovered that Kovalchuk was using an illegal stick last night, the penalty would not have negated Atlanta's third goal. But it would have given Nashville a power play.
The Predators wound up tying the contest anyway and sending it into overtime.
:rollover:
Absolutely hillarious.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/PDARK/KovyCurve.gif
But Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk escaped punishment thanks to a number of assists, according to Nashville Coach Barry Trotz and Predators players.
The strange situation began just past the midway point of the third period in the Predators' 4-3 shootout loss to Atlanta.
With the game tied 2-2 and the Thrashers set to go on the power play, Trotz tried to signal officials that he wanted to test Kovalchuk's stick ? believing Kovalchuk was using a blade with too large a curve.
But Trotz was unable to get the officials' attention prior to a faceoff, and the Thrashers wound up taking a 3-2 lead when Marc Savard scored a power-play goal with 7:58 left in regulation. Kovalchuk assisted on the goal.
The Predators were finally able to alert officials they wanted to measure Kovalchuk's stick at that point. But that's when Kovalchuk began to take evasive action, according to Trotz and Predators forward Steve Sullivan.
"He passed the stick to (teammate) Scott Mellanby, who passed it to one of the coaches, and he passed it to one of the trainers who took it down the runway,'' Trotz said. "He got away with it. He plays with (an illegal stick) all the time.''
Sullivan's account differed slightly.
"I saw Kovalchuk throw his stick to the trainer, and the trainer took it out,'' he said.
In any event, the Predators believe that by the time referee Don Koharski approached the Atlanta bench to pick up Kovalchuk's stick, the Thrashers had supplied their star forward with a new ? and legal ? stick.
In fact, when Trotz saw the stick Koharski was taking to be measured, he chose not even to go through with the procedure because it was not the same stick that he'd wanted examined.
"We said if the tape on the stick wasn't wet (which would have shown recent use), then we're not going to call it,'' Trotz said.
Kovalchuk, who'd earlier scored his NHL-best 33rd goal, denied having an illegal stick ? at least during that point of the game.
"They tried calling my stick, but I was using the legal one for the last 10 minutes,'' Kovalchuk said.
Added Atlanta Coach Bob Hartley: "We all know that Kovalchuk plays with legal sticks.''
Kovalchuk has been penalized three times in his career for using an illegal stick.
Had it been discovered that Kovalchuk was using an illegal stick last night, the penalty would not have negated Atlanta's third goal. But it would have given Nashville a power play.
The Predators wound up tying the contest anyway and sending it into overtime.
:rollover:
Absolutely hillarious.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/PDARK/KovyCurve.gif